The invention is related to the field of hearing aids, more specifically to hearing aids sealing the bony part of an external ear canal and the comfort of inserting and wearing them.
Comfortable insertion and safe fixation of an acoustically active part (end portion of a hearing aid tube through which the sound exits) of a bony seal hearing aid is crucial for customer acceptance. Prior art bony seal hearing aids comprise dome portions made of materials such as memory foam, silicon or alike to keep an acoustically active part in place while sealing the external ear canal. It has been observed that such materials, especially if worn on a long term basis, may cause skin irritations in the external ear canal of a user.
An arrangement keeping an acoustically active part of a hearing aid in place is disclosed in DE 102 36 134 C1, namely a hearing aid comprising an implanted acoustic duct extending from behind the ear into the external ear canal of a user, wherein the hearing aid is connected to the acoustic canal via an adapter located behind the ear. With an acoustic duct implanted and requiring an adapter to be placed behind the ear, said arrangement lacks comfort in wear.
A hearing aid enclosed in an ear mold and including an acoustic tube located at its inner end is disclosed in DE 199 43 809 A1. The acoustic tube being connected to an extending component occupying a volume towards the eardrum adapted to shape the acoustic proportions of the hearing aid, the arrangement is not suitable for safely fixing the acoustically active part to the external ear canal.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a means which allows comfortable insertion and safe fixation of an acoustically active bony seal hearing aid.